Movin' On Up to the Eastside
Erika Dykstra

If youre looking to experience the joys of living off campus for the first time, it is actually a lot more work than you think. Take it from me, I moved off campus last year and it has been an interesting school year. So let me give you a few pointers that I have found out about the must haves when looking for a house or apartment off campus.
I moved into a two story house, with a full basement and a two car garage. The location is somewhat near the school (not walking distance) so thats always good. The landlords are two of the nicest people I have met, which is the most important thing, when renting, make sure the landlords are decent. If you get stuck with horrible landlords, well youre FUBAR'ed. 
Another thing to check is what is included in your rent, is it just rent? Or does it include any utilities, i.e. Water, electric, gas, cable, and trash (yes, for those of you who do not know, you have to buy trash tags for your garbage cans, and they can add up real quick)? Some landlords include some utilities or all in rent, where others include nothing.
Laundry is a huge expense when living off campus if there is no washer and dryer available at the house or apartment. One nice thing about living on campus was the free laundry, especially if your a girl like me who can wear two to four different outfits a day. Laundromats usually will cost an individual about $7.00 for a load. You can save money by combining loads in the dryer, but for a washer, on average takes about 15-20, if not more, quarters. By having a washer and dryer at your house saves time and money in the long run. You can usually find them at garage sales or in newspaper ads semi-cheap, so if you are moving off campus and do not have a washer and dryer I recommend seeing if you have the hook ups available and trying to find a washer and dryer.
Living in Sault Ste Marie during the winter months (which apparently is 9 out of 12 months) snow is guaranteed. If you have a long driveway and no snowplow, it can be very difficult shoveling and trying to make it to class which is in say 15 minutes. You must invest in a snowblower or hiring someone with a snowplow, or if youre lucky you might have a friend with a snowplow. Oh and on a sidenote make sure you have friendly neighbors or at least get to know them, because when you come home from a long day of classes and your driveway has 2 feet of snow in and you think you can make it, your neighbors will come in handy to help get you unstuck from your driveway.
So those are the big things, but there are also many little things that you should look for, such as: how many bathrooms, if it is a two story house, make sure there is one on each floor. How is the off-street parking? During the winter no cars are allowed on the streets over night, so make sure there is adequate parking. Imagine yourself with crutches or in a wheelchair, can you make it up the stairs? What is the upkeep going to be like on the yard, or outside? Are there rodent problems? What happens if something breaks, i.e. Heater or water, do you call the landlord, or do you have to pay to take care of it? Is there adequate space for you and/or roommates inside the house? These are just a list of some of the possible questions to ask yourself and the landlord or previous tenants. 
Remember it may look like it costs less to live off campus, but in ways it can cost more. There is no free laundry, you have to shovel your sidewalk/driveway, no free garbage, and food can really add up. However, living off campus is truly a unique experience and I think it is important for all students to experience it at some point or another. It can be easier to live on campus, but the responsibilities and rewards you receive from living off campus will be with you for a lifetime.

